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5th SUNDAY
AFTER PENTECOST
The season of Pentecost tells about the Spirit’s past and continued work in people
and communities. This week’s overarching theme could well be the Spirit’s able
and available assistance to help people carry out their mission. In the first lesson,
David unites divided tribal groups and claims a city for his administration through the
help of the Spirit. Paul finds the good grace to carry on in ministry despite the setbacks
of "thorns" in his life, while Mark insists that resistance to faith or unfaith
can nullify God’s willingness to work in people’s lives.
2 Samuel 5:1-5; 9-10-A King and A Kingdom
Saul is now out of the picture-killed in battle on the mountains of Gilboa-and the
newly formed monarchy experiences a vacuum of leadership. At Hebron the southern tribes
invite David to be their leader. However, to the north David’s leadership is slower
in coming. But when Ishbaal-the king-in-exile-is assassinated in the north, David is able
to create a unified kingdom and to enjoy a long reign. So we have a new king, but no place
from which the king is to rule. The lectionary committee has skirted around that
intriguing part of the story that falls between verses 5-9. Taken together, the reader is
informed of king and kingdom and the beginning of a new and long-lived dynasty.
2 Corinthians 12:2-10-Grace Among Thorns
Now near the end of a very emotional and autobiographical letter, Paul closes with
self-reflection. Presumably talking about himself, Paul recalls a vision that he has
had-almost sounds like an out-of-body experience. Subsequent to the vision, he also
describes a "thorn in the flesh" that was given to keep him from getting a big
head over such paradisiacal a vision. Whether the thorns came in the form of physical
illness, poor eyes, or persecution the text is silent, but whatever plagues him, when he
cries out for removal of the thorns, the Lord speaks a word to Paul and a word that has
since comforted sufferers up to our present day: "My grace is sufficient for you, for
my power is made perfect in weakness" (verse 9).
Mark 6:1-13-Faith in the Face of Un-faith
What an interesting counterpoint story that follows last week’s gospel lesson. We
go from a striking and unique story of faith-the raising of a 12-year old girl from death
(Mk. 5:22-24; 35-43)-to an equally astounding story of un-faith (Mk. 6:1-13). Seeds of the
Sower continue to fall into a variety of fragile human soils, some yielding overwhelming
harvests, some never breaking ground. Such is the case with this lesson: asphalt-hard
ground-the old neighborhood. In spite of ineffective ministry at Nazareth, Jesus sends his
Twelve to neighboring village-two by two-with the same authority as he has wielded with
power to exorcise, heal, and proclaim the Kingdom of God.
